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The United States diplomats are virtually playing a game of see-saw. As the Vajpayee government and its political party BJP threatens to harden its stand against the US attack on Iraq, the latter has warned Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism immediately.
The US official Collin Powell and Jack Straw's plea to Pakistan to restrain and sto0p terrorist activities comes 48 hours after Ministry of External Affairs (India) rejected US advice for opening a dialogue with Pakistan. The officials at the MEA hurled a counter question at the US asking them if dialogue could resolve the issue, why did it attack Iraq or Afghanistan. Both Prime Minister Vajpayee and Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha have made their stand clear to the US.
Vajpayee revelation that India rejects US request for supporting the war also came as a rude shock to them. The Indian government and the BJP had till a day ago stuck to a middle path on the US attack on Iraq. But the US pro-Pakistan approach after the attack on 24 Kashmiri Pandits terribly upset the government. It felt the US was trying to advise them instead of attacking Pakistan.
The Indian government pursued with the US that it was the handiwork of Pakistan that led to the brutal massacre of Kashmiri Pandits. But that did not deter the US from going soft on Pakistan. As a result the government strongly condemned the UIS charging America with showing double standards.
Accordingly, the ruling BKJP has also taken a decision to take a harsh stand against the US for its attack on Iraq. The BJP reckons that US soft policy towards Pakistan will upset its cadre .
Therefore, it now plans to pass a resolution at its national executive meeting on Iraq strongly condemning the US for soft peddling on Pakistan.
Ironically, the Congress that was charging the government with going soft on US, has stuck to middle path themselves.
At the congress conclave on Friday Sonia Gandhi made a general remark saying the attack on Iraq was a violation of UN Security Council. Adding the matter should be referred to the UN and resolved through a peaceful means. But nowhere in her speech has she specifically named US and expressed condemnation.
Interestingly, the same Congress
at the all political party meeting was insisting along with the left front
parties that the Vajpayee government should pass a resolution using the
word "condemn" or "deplorable" against the US. But the Congress ducked
the use the same words in a statement issued by its senior leader in charge
of External affairs Natwar Singh last week.
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